Automatic air-gage



J. K. GREER AND C. CURTRIGHT.

AUTOMATIC AIR GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-11,1919.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

2 S H E E T 8 -SHEET I.

S R Y 0 E m& m m 1t m T? M 8 h m m .C K y i I d6 W A/T 7 WITNESS: 36 (Ex.

James K. Genes. Ann CASKIE cunrmerrr, orrAnIs, mssounr.

AUTOMATIC AIR-GAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

Application filed April 11, 1919. Serial No. 289,219.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES K. GREEK and (heme CURTRIGHT, citizens of the United States, residing at Paris, in the county of Monroe and State of. Missouri, have invented new and useful Im rovements in Automatic Air-Gages, ofw ich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic air gages and has for its object the provision of a gage particularly adapted forfuse in garages or the like where pneumatic tires are filled with air,-the construction of the device being such that a predetermined pressure may be supplied to the tire, and such that when such pressure has been reached a valve will be automatically closed for stopping the flow of air. 7

An important object is the provision of a device of this character which is provided with an indicating hand which may be set at the desired place upon a series of indicia indicating various air pressures, movement of this hand compressing a spring which tends to close the control valve, this spring 3 being released by a trigger disengaged from retaining means upon the pressure in the tire or other devicereaching the predetermined amount.

A further object is the provision of a device of this character which will be automatic and. efficient in action, which is not likely to become deranged, which may be" easily operated, and which will be durable.

With the above and other objects and ad' vantages in view, such as comparative sim-. plicity, and the general improvement in the art, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the parts arranged with the control valve in closed position,

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the control valve in open position,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view talzen through'the actuating ear, and

Fig. 5 is a longitu inal sectional view taken at right angles to the plane of Figs. 2 and 3,. showing the trigger release mechanism.

Fig. 6' is "a sectional perspective view of the tire valve engaging nipple.

Referring more particularlyto the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a preferably rectangular caslng which may preferabl be secured upon the wall at a convenient height to be within reach of the operator. The casing 10 is provided with a cover 11 upon which is arranged an arcuate series of indicia 12 indicating pressure in pounds.

11 is a horizontal shaft 13 which has its forward end provided with an indicating hand 14 movable over the indicia 12. Withwhich communicates with the lower end of" a vertically disposed housing 17 disposed within the casing 10 and having connected therewith a laterally extending pipe 18 which extends beyond the casing 10 at the side opposite to that provided w1th the pipe 16 and which is adapted to have connected therewith a suitable flexible hose 18, such as is used for conducting compressed air to tires.

The upper end of the housing 17, is closed and provided with a central opening through which is slidable a rack bar 20 meshing with the gear 15 and forming the stem of a plunger head 21. A coil spring Journaled through the casing 10 and cover 22 surrounds the rack bar 20 and abuts at one end against the closed upper end of the housing 1 and at its other end against the plunger head 21. Formed within the junctureof the pipe 16 with the housing 17 is an upwardly extending nipple 23, the upper end of which forms a valve seat upon which is disposed a valve 2ihaving a stem 25 guida=bly received withina spider 26 disposed within the lower portion of the'housing 17. A coil spring 27 surrounds the nipple 23 and engages the valve 24 for normally tending to unseat the valve 24.

', ..Secured upon the upper end of the rack bar 20 is a plate 28 adapted for vertical movement with the rack bar 20and engaged upon guides 29 secured within the casing 10. Also secured within the casing 10 is a vertically extending bar 30 having one edge provided with ratchet teeth 31 adapted. for engagement by a spring trigger 32 carr ed by the rear edge of the plate 28, The spring trigger 32 normally engages the teeth 31 which are so arranged that the trigger may have unrestricted upward movement along the bar 30 but will be prevented by the teeth 31 from having downward movement.

Also disposed within the casing 10 is a housing 19 which has its upper end closed and provided with a central opening through which is slidable a stem 33 carrying at its lower end a plunger head 34 which is normally urged downwardly into a valve seat 35 within the housing 19 by a coil spring 36 which-abuts against the plunger head 34 and against the closed upper end of the housing' 19. The upper extremity of the stem 33 is beveled, as shown at 37 and is engageable upon upward movement thereof with the trigger 32 for moving the trigger 32 away from the plate 28 and out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 31.

Secured upon and communicating with the lower end of the housing 19 is a pipe 38 to which is connected a flexible hose 39 which extends parallel with and may be secured to the hose 18 so that these two hose may be handled as one.

Adapted for use with ourdevice is a. nipple 40 which comprises a body 41provided with a bore 42 whichis provided at its open end with a rubber washer 43. This nipple is engageable upon the valve stem of a tire and the washer 43 is for the purpose of effecting an air-tight fit therewith. Formed within the bore 42 is a valve seat 44 upon which is disposed a valve 45 having a stem 46 extending through a spider 47 disposed adjacent the open end of the nipple. Secured upon the stem 46 is a washer or collar 48 and surrounding the stem isa spring 49 which abuts atone end against the valve seat 44 and at its other end against the washer 48 whereb the valve 45 will be retained normally seated. body 41 is an extension 50 provided with a bore 60 communicating with the bore 42 above the valve 45 with reference to its seat 44. This body 41 is further provided with a nipple portion 61 upon which is engaged the rubber hose 39 leading to the pipe 38 cominunioating.with the lower end of the housing 19.

In the operation of the device the operator grasps the nipple 40 and places the same over the valve'stem of the tire to be inflated.

the end of the valve stem engaging against and making air-tight connection with the washer 43, and the stem of the valve engaging and being nested by the stem 46 of the valve 45 and also unseating the .valve 45. The operator then grasps the indicating hand 14 and moves the same so that its point will lie upon the desired one of the indieia 12 upon the cover 11 of the casing. This movement of the hand 14 results in partial rotation of the gear 15 which will consequently elevate the rack bar 20 a certain distance. This upward movement of the bar 20 releases pressure of the plunger head- Formed upon the 21 upon the valve 24 and compresses the spring 22. The plate 28 is of course carried upwardly by the bar 20, the trigger riding over the teeth'3l on the bar 30 until the stem 25 and plate 28 cease to move, whereupon downward movement of the plate 28 will be prevented by engagement of the trigger 32 with a tooth 31.' Atthis time it is understood that the plunger head 34 is in-engagement with the valve seat 35 in the housing 19. The moment that the handle 14 is moved and the rack bar 20 elevated, the pressure of the spring 27 surrounding the nipple 23 will assist the air pressure within the pipe 16 to unseat the valve 24, this spring preventing any possible sticking of the valve. The air within the pipe 16 will then pass through the nipple 23 and into the pipe 18 whence it will be discharged through the flexible tube 18, bore 42, and into the tire through the valve stem thereof, not shown. At the same time that the valve 45 is unseated from its seat 44 by the engagement of the valve plunger, not shown. with the end of the stem 46, communication will 'be established between the bore 60 of the extension '50 and the nipple 61 connected with the hose 39. When the air within the tire reaches the predetermined pressure. the portion of the air passing through the bore 60 of the extension 50 and the hose 38 will exert pressure within the housing 19 and will passthrough the valve seat 35, resulting in upward movement of the stem 33 and compression of the spring 36. As the stem 33 rises its beveled end 37 will engage the trigger 32 and move the same laterally out of engagement with the teeth 31 whereupon the pressure of the spring 22 acting upon the plunger head 21 will cause the rack bar 20 and plate 28 to spring back to original position, the plunger head 21 engaging the stem 25 of the valve 24 and forcing the valve 24 downwardly into engagement with the upper end of the nipple 23. thus cutting off passage of air from the'pipe If). This downward movement of the bar 20 will cause partial rotation of the gear 15 and will consequently return the hand 14 to its zero indicating or initial position. When the hand 14 is moved to indicate a low pressure. the bar 20, plate 28. and trigger 32 will he moved upwardly only a slight extent and the stem 33 in its upward movement will disengage the trigger 32 from the teeth 3] ltlb closed position, we preferably provide upon the cover 11 at the zero end of the indicia thereon. a bell 40 which is so positioned that when downward movement of the bar 20 causes a partial rotation of the gear that we have thus provided a comparatively simple and inexpensive device which will automatically supply to atire a certain predetermined pressure and which will cease to supply further air pressure immediately upon the ressure within the tire reaching the desired degree.

While we have shown preferred embodiment of our invention, it

for holding said is of course to be understood that we reserve the right to make such changes in the form,

construction, and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim I 1, A device of the character described comprising a casing, a compressed air ipe leading through said casing, a contro ing valve within said casing normally preventing passage of air through said ipe, a plunger normally engaging said va ve for holding the same seated, means for moving said plunger a predetermined degree to permit opening of said valve, lockingmeans lunger in adjusted position, a housing a apted to be brought into communication with said air pipe, and a plunger movable within said housing under influence of air pressure therein, said last named plunger upon movement thereof, releasing said locking means.

2. A device of the character describedv comprising a casing, a compressed air conducting pipe extending through said casing, a control valve normally preventing passage of air through said pipe, a sprin pressed plunger normally engaging sai valve for holding the same seated, manually operable means for moving said plunger a predetermined degree, a vertically slidable plate carried by said plunger, a stationary ratchet bar within said casing, a trigger j carried by said late and engaging said ratchet bar for ho ding said plate and consequently said plunger in adjusted position,

and described the and air pressure actuated means for releasing said trigger from engagement with said ratchet bar.

' 3. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a compressed air con-' ducting pipe extending through said casing, a control valve normally preventing passage of air through said pipe, a spring pressed plunger normally holding said valve seated, manually operable means for movf'ing said plunger a predetermined degree to.

permit 'unseating of said valve, a trigger member associated with the upper end of .said plunger, a ratchet bar cooperating with and engaged by said trigger member for holding said plunger in adjusted position,

a housing communicating with said air pipe, a sprin pressed plunger within said housing mov'a 1e therein under the influence of compressed air, and the upper end of said last named plunger being adapted for engagement with said trigger member whereby to disconnect the latter from engagement from said ratchet bar.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a compressed air conducting pipe extending therethrough, a control valve normally preventing passage of air through said pipe, a vertically extending spring pressed plunger normally holding said valve seated and having its stem formed as a rack, a manually movable gear meshing with said rack whereby said plunger may be elevated a predetermined degree to permit unseating of said valve, a plate carried by the upper end of said plunger, a trigger carried by said plate, a vertically extending bar provided with ratchet teeth engaging said trigger for holdnatures.

JAMES K. GREER. CASKIE CURTRIGHT.

- ing said plunger in adjusted position, a 

